Therapeutic device



Jl me 22, 1937. p 220842692 THERAPEUTIC DEVICE Filed Jan. 14, 1936 IN VENTOR.

M ATTORNEY.

Patented June 22 1937 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFIQ'ZE THERAPEUTIC DEVICE Robert Parker Little, Santa Paula, Calif.

Application January 14, 1936, Serial No. 59,056

2 Claims. (Cl. 128361) This invention relates to therapeutic devices. During the course of pregnancy and parturition it is at times necessary to rupture the foetal membranes. By this procedure labor may be initiat- 5 ed and such initiation may be necessary because of a disproportion in the mothers pelvis or a prolongation of the term of gestation beyond the normal nine months or 280 days and for other reasons.

' An artificial rupture of the foetal membranes may also be desirable or necessary during the course of parturition or labor:-

(1) Because of a delay before or at the time of the so called second stage when the cervix is 5 fully dilated and the presenting part is obstructed and held back by unusually tough membranes.

(2) In order to facilitate examination of the presenting part.

(3) Before the application of forceps, and for various other reasons.

In the past this artificial rupture of the foetal membranes has been accomplished in a number of ways. Before the advent of the general use of rubber gloves this was often done with the fingernail which may or may not have been cut or sharpened for this purpose. Scissors, artery forceps, safety pins and other sharp pointed instruments have been recommended and used. The use of the just named instruments is fraught with danger to both mother and child. If pointed instruments are used by touch, which is commonly the case, especially in deliveries taking place in the patients home, injury to the mother or child may easily result. It is also true that an oedematous scalp or a presenting breech may be mistaken for unruptured membranes and an injury be done to the childs head or buttocks. For these reasons some accoucheurs first expose the parts by means of a speculum and only rupture the foetal membranes when guided by the sense of sight. This procedure may be difficultand impractical in the patients home, and it is in the homes that most of the nations obstetrical work is performed.

My invention relates to therapeutic devices and specifically it is an obstetrical instrument designed to accomplish the rupture of the foetal membranes with remote danger of injury to either mother or child. The instrument is a small easily sterilized one which may be used by thesense of touch with hands encased in rubber gloves.

It consists of a cap in the form of a thimble or band encircling and fitting the tip of a finger and upon the extremity of said band or cap is a 55 raised portion somewhat like a claw. This claw may be made by cutting through the tip of a thimble in two places said cuts intersecting at or near the center at slightly more than a right angle. The point of the sector thus delineated is then raised about 2 or 2 mm. above the general level of the surrounding material thus forming a claw-like projection. It is obvious that a similar claw may be formed in other Ways such as by molding, soldering, casting or otherwise affixing a claw-like projection on the tip of a thimble- 1 like cap, ring or band formed or bent to fit the end of the finger.

In use the sterilized device is fitted upon one of the fingers generally the first or second of either hand as preferred by the surgeon. It is 1., adjusted so that the claw points forward or in approximately the same direction that the palm of the hand faces. Previous examination having determined the necessity or desirability of rupturing the foetal membranes two fingers, one armed with the device, are inserted into the vagina. Upon encountering the foetal membranes, as determined by the sense of touch, a scratching motion is made with the finger bearing the instrument and through a distance of about one-fourth to one-half an inch. By this motion the foetal membranes are easily penetratecl and torn allowing the escape of the amniotic fluid. At the same time this procedure is attended with remote possibility of injury to either mother or child even if the obstetrician be mistaken and encounters an oedematous scalp instead of the foetal membranes. If desired the instrument may also be used in a similar fashion when the parts are exposed by means of a speculum and the hand guided by the sense of sightv In the drawing:---

Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved therapeutic device with the top of the instrument tilted away from the observer.

Figure 2 is a top view.

Figure 3 is an elevation of the therapeutic device with the top tilted toward the observer.

Referring now with particularity to the drawing. The obstetrical instrument as an entirety s is designated by I which is an elevation with the top of the device tilted away from the observer. It represents a hollow shell, thimble-like in form or approximately frusto-conical. It is intended to fit snugly over the tip of one of the fingers in the same way that a thimble does. A represents a claw-like projection in this instance, sector-like in form and continuous at its base or. rounded side with the top of the frusto-conical shell C. (B represents the side of the frusto-conical shell at a lower level than C.) The two straight sides of the sector meet, in this instance, at slightly more than a right angle. The tip or point D of the before mentioned sector is raised a 5 little so as to be substantially above a plane in contact with the top of the frusto-conical shell and perpendicular to its axis. The point of the claw in this instance: lies approximately above the center of the circle formed by the top edge of the before mentioned shell.

Figure 2 represents a top view of the obstetrical instrument and is here shown approximately circular in form. A represents the claw-like projection described in Figure 1; this illustration 5 shows the attachment of the claw-like projection which is, in this instance, continuous at its base with the sides of the frusto-conical shell whose top is represented by C. D is the pointed raised tip of the sector forming the claw-like projection mentioned when describing Figure 1. Figure 3 represents an elevation of the obstetrical instrument with the top tilted toward the ob server. The parts are lettered as in the previously described figures.

In use the thimble-like frusto--conical shell is placed over the tip of the first or second finger of the hand elected and the claw-like projection is adjusted so that its tip points forward or in approximately the same direction that the palm of the hand faces. These two fingers are then inserted into the vagina and when the foetal membranes are encountered, as determined by palpation, a scratching motion is made by the finger bearing the instrument whereupon the claw-like projection will penetrate and tear the foetal membranes and allow the escape of amniotic fluid. Because the point of the claw-like projection is obtuse, without cutting edges and but little raised above the tip of the instrument there is remote likelihood of injuring the soft parts of the mother when inserting the finger bearing the device into the vagina and for the same reasons there is Little likelihood of injuring the child even if a mistake be made in the diagnosis and the membranes have already ruptured from natural causes. For the reasons set forth it is my belief that this invention is a useful advance in therapeutic devices. It simplifies obstetrical procedure in that it may be used by the sense of touch under trying conditions in the patients home without the necessity of assistance or the introduction of speculae.

It is obvious that various changes and modifi cations and variations may be made in practicing the invention in departure from the particular showing of the drawing, and the description as given without, however, departing from the true spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A therapeutic puncturing device including a thimble-like band adapted to slip over the end of a finger and embrace the finger, and a projection from the band in the form of a nearly right angled sector having now-sharp edges which terminate in an obtuse now-sharp end, and adapted to overlie the end of the finger.

2. A therapeutic puncturing device including a sheet metal body adapted to slip on to a finger, and a projection of the sheet metal having nowsharp edges meeting in a now-sharp point which projects at a small angle upwardly across the end of the body where the end of the finger would lie, said point terminating nearly centrally over the end.

ROBERT P. LITTLE. 

